Least successful lures in your box?

[Dan Mawer]

Just wanted to see if other people have similar observations on the lures that they've tried but don't seem to do squat. Namely I've never caught anything on any bucktail. I'm really wondering how much of it is the fact that a lot of people throw similar bucktails at all the good spots and the fish get conditioned to them? Plus are they really that good of lures for when the conditions are anything but ideal - i.e. lowering barometer, cloud cover, new moon etc. I'm usually throwing them with a steady retrieve up to cranking as hard/fast as I can to get a reaction strike.

Also the black jointed believer with a white soft plastic tail. I thought it would be a good trolling bait but just have never gotten anything on it. I must say I thought the two different eyelets for diff depths was a great idea.

Let's hear others observations...but I won't say I'm suprised when people bought bargain bin stuff and had more luck than say a double cowgirl or some other "hot" bait.

[mroyten]

It is all apart of the puzzle, selecting the correct bait for the right conditions... you can read and study as much as you want but time on the water will bring pieces together. Trial and error. But the least productive baits in my box are the ones I never use. Not to say they don't work, but I usually go with the ones that I have the most confidence in. I think confidence is probably the most important element in lure selection, along with the bait being the right tool for the situation (getting your presentation down to the appropriate depth without fouling often).

So I'd recommend to keep at using those baits you are throwing, cause chances are they will produce. Also, try changing up the retrieve styles, speeds, etc. Changing direction both vertically and horizontally are big triggering factors. I've been in the boat where me and my partner were using the same bait but only one of us got action because of how our retrieves differed... Experiment and document.

[PerchJerker]

This is an easy one for me. I rhink the the first real muskie lure I bought was a Poe's Awaker, it's for sure the oldest bait I have. Looks like a great bait and I've used it a lot, and I don't think I've even had a follow on it. I keep telling myself to leave it in the box, but a stubborn streak has me using it to try to finally get a fish to go.

[JRedig]

Man, that's almost all the lures I have! I think all my fish come on 4-5 lures out of a couple hundred. And yet I keep buying....<one-who-thinks-I-am-silly>

[Esox_Magnum]

I thin mine out after each season. Some I wish I had kept other I keep for who knows what reason. Come seasons end I'll have a bunch more to trade and sell. I'm off to the bait shop on the way to the lake to add a couple more.

[snowman678]

Well, right about now, all of the lures in my box are the least succesfull lures in the box Right now I'm still feeling the effects of a 12-hour overnight marathon on Mille Lacs throwing the DCG's, and the pain in my entire body is telling me to get rid of them, but, judging by others' success with them, I'll just keep on throwing.

[HuntBigFish]

It seems to me like i cannot buy a fish on a shallow invader, yet i've had plenty of follows and hits. I even had one get cut off on Mille Lacs. Anybody have success with these baits, because my dad caught a 44 on it and i throw it twice as much as he does.

[-Marc V-]

Kind of funny it was metioned the "bargin bin" bait catching the fish. I've only caught a couple musky this year - one on the fly rod (a dink), and one on a bargin spinner bait (Big Kahuna).

I have a jointed Believer i'm starting to loose faith in as well. Mine doen't have the twister tail, but it has an awesome look in the water. Not even a follow.

About the only baits I'm starting to have any faith in is spinner baits, except for a Top Raider. Can't remember the last follow I had off of anything other than a spinnerbait. Maybe because that's what I'm typically using...

[MUSKYMAN1011]

The "Original Pig" by Bob M is no doubt the least successful Lure I have ever used. Sold all of mine a longgg time ago!

2nd Least Successful would be "straight non-jointed Depth Raider"

On the other Hand, The "Jointed shallow Raider" has Produced fish for me !

Huntbigfish, the "shallow invader" has also produced fish for me!

but like many softail lures I kept getting the tail knocked off by Pike and SKI'S

Brian K

www.kaisertail.com

[Scoot]

It seems to me like i cannot buy a fish on a shallow invader,... Anybody have success with these baits

It's one of my "go to" baits. It hasn't produced as well for me this year, but it sure has over the past decade...

[HugoBox]

I might be the only person on the planet who hasn't had a fish or a follow on a Topraider. I throw them a lot and maybe I don't use the right speed but I have yet to raise a fish on them. I also haven't caught a fish or had a follow on a BullDawg. Both proven lures, I guess I just haven't put them in fron of the right fish yet.

[Bill Chapman]

Most of the fish I have caught on a Topraider were on a very slow retrieve. I too have never caught 1 on a fast retrieve.

I don't throw a Bulldog very much due to injuries but that would slant my view on it.

Just my 2 cents on it....

[Rmac]

Never even seen a fish on a bulldawg, I don't think. Don't throw them much but I plan on it more in the future.

I also have never caught a fish worth mentioning on any lipped bait. I can never seem to decide on a rip/pause retrieve or a straight retrieve. I also don't troll much so that might figure in as well.

[propster]

Rmac, as long as you're going back and forth between the rip/pause and straight retrieve, you can't go wrong.